Angry Zombie Ninja Cats (XBLIG): "A Unique Platforming Experience"

                                                                              

I absolutely love it when a developer goes out of their way to make a game that is unique. These days there are lots of clones out there, and definitely a lot of zombie games. Oneksoft (AWWW-NECK-SOFT) Games created a zombie game unlike any other I have seen this year. It's a platformer titled "Angry Zombie Ninja Cats", and all of the words within the game's name definitely have something to do with it. The game is an XBLIG title that has the player taking on the role of a cartoon styled ninja cat, and puts them up against some zombified versions of the ninja feline race. While I didn't really find a story, or plot behind this game I imagine that the character you play as is simply trying to eradicate the zombie infestation while gathering all the loot/gems from within the areas/levels.

As you play 'Angry Zombie Ninja Cats' you're sole purpose is to avoid being attacked by the dead denizens (angry zombie ninja cats), and try not to fall into a mysterious green flame. If you fall victim to either fate you will get a message saying you are zombified. The goal within each of the 17 levels of the game is to collect all of the gems, and make it to the portal at the end. This is complicated by the fact that you have limited lives, and the levels are populated with undead feline warriors. You are given two tools/weapons in which to dispatch your angry adversaries, a sword (Y) and a shuriken (X) that must be collected before it can be used. Some levels even contain a gem power-up that gives your ninja cat super powers including the ability to double jump and destroy enemies by jumping on them. As you play through the levels you have a set amount of lives, and a set time in which you have to complete the current level. The game is also score based. You get points for collecting gems, and for annihilating zombie ninja cats. I did a complete playthrough of the game, and it took me about 30 minutes to gather all the gems within each level and finish the game.

Angry Zombie Ninja Cats is a game with a simple yet pleasant appearance. It has a cartoon style that is accented by a fairly amazing soundtrack, and sound effects. In fact this is actually one of my favorite in-game XBLIG soundtracks now. It had a sort of dark/heavy metal tone to it that definitely added to the overall quality of the game. Little visual details like the zombie cats turning red if you get too close to them gives the game personality. The color scheme of the game has an innocent yet foreboding look to it that further adds to the games personality. Each level in the game features things like floating platforms, and stationary platforms which are used in a very efficient manner that helps the puzzle/platforming gameplay go smoothly. There were no noticeable bugs, or glitches that I witnessed during my playthrough except for the super gem on level 17, it wasn't the correct color. The developer (Oneksoft Games) told me that the game had been updated, and it seemed to play perfectly fine to me aside from the movement sensitivity.

In the end I thought that 'Angry Zombie Ninja Cats' was a neat little game. It offered something unique, and interesting to the XBLIG library. It featured 17 levels of gameplay that was accented by a fairly impressive soundtrack. With that being said the replay value of this game is almost non-existent. While it is a score based game there are no online leaderboards, and there is no real reason to go back to try and beat your score. My playthrough took about 30 minutes to complete, and I never really felt challenged. I did die some in the later levels of the game, but it was due mainly to the thumbstick sensitivity. I think this game, or the sequel would be better with different/optional difficulty settings, an online leaderboard, larger levels, and more weapons. Different ways to die, different enemy types and boss battles might be a plus as well. Definitely keep the score based gameplay though. I'm sure by now my readers are wondering if I would buy this game, and to be honest I'd have to say that I'd skip it. What it offers at the current moment isn't enough for me to even spend 80 msp on.

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XBOX LIVE MARKETPLACE: Angry Zombie Ninja Cats